Days after an American cargo ship was intercepted by Iranian patrol boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Pentagon officials have said that the U.S. Navy will accompany all U.S.-flagged commercial vessels through those waters in the future to prevent interference by Iran.
The U.S. Navy will only accompany the commercial vessels and monitor the area as they cross the strait.
The BBC had earlier reported that Iranian naval ships had fired warning shots near a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship before seizing it and its crew on Friday.
Danish shipping company Maersk said the crew was safe and “in good spirits.”
The Strait of Hormuz links the Arabian Sea to the Persian Gulf. The narrow strait lies partly in Iranian waters. Ships are allowed pass through under an internationally-recognized protocol called “Innocent Passage,” as long as they do not carry weapons, collect intelligence, or violate other restrictions. (ANI)